Sobriety House

The Basics

An Ottawa institution since 1979, Sobriety House offers a 28-day program with 12-step based recovery. After their initial stay, clients are able to extend their treatment in the form of a transitional program, which allows them to continue to reside in Sobriety House’s facilities while they set up an aftercare program. Sobriety House does not have rolling admissions, and instead offers eight month-long programs a year. This allows residents to undergo the process and graduate together, sometimes even transitioning into aftercare the same way.

Accommodations and Food

Given its name, it’s unsurprising that Sobriety House works at making residents feel as at home as possible. Space permitting, clients are afforded their own rooms at Sobriety House (noteworthy because many comparably priced rehabs can’t claim this particular perk). There is a high degree of freedom in coming and going from the house, though residents do have a weekly curfew of 11 pm.

Although there’s room for 20, the program usually averages 10-13 at a time; clients who have already gone through the program and are in transitional care may also be staying in the house. Clients’ rooms come with twin beds and basic furnishings. The bathrooms are shared in the hallways of the house. There is a chef on staff who prepares three hot meals a day, and while clients do not participate in this household duty, they do have a variety of chores assigned to them each week including dishes, sweeping and general house maintenance.

Treatment and Staff

Days at Sobriety House begin at 9 am with group therapy followed by educational classes that take up the majority of the day (with short breaks for meals). After a dinner break, there is an hour in the evening usually dedicated to attendance at an off-site 12-step meeting. There are no on-site meetings offered at Sobriety House except for one on Monday evenings as part of their aftercare program. Regardless, residents are expected to attend four 12-step meetings a week.

It should be noted that access to community meetings is highly convenient as Sobriety Home’s facility is a short walk from downtown, and it offers a fair amount of freedom to their clients as opposed to other programs. When each day’s events wind down in the early evening, residents can enjoy their free time however they want. Furthermore, Friday’s programming ends around noon and the weekend is free for clients to relax and make off-site visits to their family, when appropriate.

There is no medical detox offered at Sobriety House, though it works in concert with Ottawa Addictions Access and Referral Services (OAARS) to help clients find a proper facility for detox before their stay. Similarly, there’s also no medical team on staff; still, the program can help assist residents in getting medical help in nearby Ottawa.

For the most part, Sobriety House’s team consists of certified counselors who handle the day-to-day business of group therapy. Each client at Sobriety House is assigned their own individual counselor as well and there are one-on-one sessions at least once a week. Sobriety House also works to pair clients with practicing therapists in the Ottawa area as part of ensuring a solid aftercare program.

Extras

While there’s no on-site gym at Sobriety House, clients are able to receive a reduced cost membership to the local YMCA for an extra $15 a month. In addition to their relative level of freedom to leave the grounds, Sobriety House also makes an effort to sponsor at least one off-site trip during the month long program, such as to a bowling alley or local museum.

In Summary

Given the low cost, small client rolls and comprehensive month of treatment offered, Sobriety House succeeds at many of the desired staples of a recovery experience. Residents can expect comfortable lodging in a homey environment, as well as a high degree of freedom on nights and weekends. Those looking for the nuts and bolts of treatment in Ottawa, Sobriety House is worth considering.

Sobriety House Inc. 90 First Ave Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Sobriety House Cost: $3,000 (28 days). Reach Sobriety House by phone at (613) 233-0828 or by email at [email protected]. Find Sobriety House on their website

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1 Comment

I’m a graduate of Sobriety House from a few years back. I can safely say this was the best treatment centre I’ve attended in my long battle against alcohol & drug abuse. I’m sober today because of Sobriety House & the people, both staff & clientele, I met there. Although the staff seems to have been completely overhauled & replaced since my stint I can see the mandate has not changed which is a good thing because it works & in the end saved my life.